Thread: Me speaking in English

I decided to record a piece from Roosevelt's speech for you.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7CN...it?usp=sharing

What errors in pronunciation are the most annoying? What sounds should i work with? What should i improve?

Learn how to pronounce T, D and the short Ih vowel, like I as in "sit" or "ship".
Other than that, it's okay to my ears, the accent is still here of course, but I assume it's pretty understandeable for native speakers of English, isn't it, native speakers?

I would appreciate if u point me the words or phrases. Here is the text:

As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese empire.

All of them.
It goes throughout the whole text. Almost all of the Ts, Ds and Ih-s are wrong.

Unfortunatly, i can not get what exactly wrong about T and D in most cases (sometimes it seems i make them soft by influence of following vowels, and sometimes there is no aspiration on t, k and similar sounds, but i am not quite sure)

T and D are pronounced with a tiny hissing sound like Ts, Dz, or Tsh, Dzh. Listen to it:



Pay attention 1:30 today we're gonna work on T and D, alright?
He pronounces it with additional Tsee and Dzeee.. Tssoday. That's the correct way of their pronunciation.

btw 2:12 am I only one who hears "when we use the simple Pursed" instead of "Past"?

the horse's mouth:
American Rhetoric: Franklin Delano Roosevelt - Pearl Harbor Address to the Nation (12-08-41)

Yeah, ty for the video. Helps to recall this stuff. It is called aspiration (придыхание). Same thing happens with p and k as well. It always was a problem - can't get used to it.

No it's not the aspiration. It's a small hissing sound just like if a T and an S are pronounced at the same time, like a Russian Ц.

Originally Posted by Medved

btw 2:12 am I only one who hears "when we use the simple Pursed" instead of "Past"?

No, it sounds a bit like "pursed" to me, too! Although I'd say, rather, that his pronunciation of past is "strangely British", despite the fact that his overall accent is typically North American. I also noticed that he pronounces "had/bad/add" with a different vowel sound than in "past" -- I guess this must be a Canadian thing. As a US English speaker, I would use the same "a" sound in all four of those words.

P.S. And I'd be curious to know if he pronounces the adjective "past" differently from the verb "passed" -- in my own dialect, these two words are exact homonyms.

pushvv -- in general, I don't quite agree with Medved that your pronunciation of T and D is "wrong" -- your pronunciation is simply foreign.

But I did notice a few cases where your pronunciation was definitely "wrong":

• In the word "righteous," the "t" should be pronounced like the "tch" in "catch" -- you said it too much like a "normal T."
• In the word "ourselves," the "v" and the final "s" should be clearly voiced -- you devoiced them, and it sounded more like "ourselfs." Similarly, the "s" in "always" should sound like a "z."
• The "ea" in "treachery" should be pronounced as in "bread," not as in "teacher."
• In "premeditated," the first "e" should be clearly pronounced as in "me" and the second "e" as in "bed." (You pronounced both of them too much like the short "i" in "sit.")

Also, as a general recommendation, you need to "hit" the stressed syllables a little more strongly. There's not enough distinction between your stressed and unstressed syllables, resulting in a flat, monotonous rhythm. And in certain cases, not only the stressed syllables but entire words (including the unstressed syllables) should have a stronger intonation (for example, "...our PEOple, our TERritory, and our INterests...").

But overall, you did a very good job, and I didn't have the smallest trouble with understanding you. Again, as Medved said, you have an obvious accent, but there's nothing wrong with that. (Unless, of course, you want to work as a spy and are trying to pass yourself off as a native speaker!)

I worked a bit with my pronunciation a couple of years ago, but since i do not have practice, i forgot many usefull things. Though, i want to sound more like native people, but it is good that you can understand me )

It's a small hissing sound just like if a T and an S are pronounced at the same time

I never noticed that hissing sound, but I believe I do pronounce it myself.

To produce this hissing sound (and aspiration at the same time) you should I suppose just pronounce t and d more intenensively.

There's not enough distinction between your stressed and unstressed syllables, resulting in a flat, monotonous rhythm. And in certain cases, not only the stressed syllables but entire words (including the unstressed syllables) should have a stronger intonation (for example, "...our PEOple, our TERritory, and our INterests...").

A very good recommendation.

Originally Posted by kib

I suppose just pronounce t and d more intenensively.

Also remember that in English, the "t" and "d" are alveolar -- they shouldn't be too "dental" or too "palatal."

And the classic exercise for practicing "aspiration" is to put a burning candle in front of your mouth, and try to make the flame move as much as possible while saying the English consonants "t", "d", "p", "b", and so forth.

d, b-то зачем? Они же не придыхательные. Придыхательными в английском языке могут быть только сильные (глухие) взрывные согласные.

Originally Posted by Marcus

d, b-то зачем? Они же не придыхательные. Придыхательными в английском языке могут быть только сильные (глухие) взрывные согласные.

Well, "aspiration" is relative. You are completely correct that English /b/ is less aspirated than English /p/. But, to my ears, English /b/ is more aspirated than Russian /б/. Or, to say it more generally, voiced "plosive" consonants in English are not as strongly aspirated as their voiceless counterparts, but even so, they may have more aspiration than the corresponding Russian plosive consonants.

So, I would recommend the "candle exercise" for Russians, but Marcus is correct that voiced English plosives such as /b/ and /d/ are not as strongly aspirated (meaning, the candle's flame shouldn't move as much) compared to voiceless plosives like /p/ and /t/.

No, Throbert, English b, d, g are not aspirated at all, that's one of the main differences between them and p, t, k. Voiced aspirated exist in many Languages of India, native English speakers cannot pronounce them without special training.

Originally Posted by Marcus

No, Throbert, English b, d, g are not aspirated at all, that's one of the main differences between them and p, t, k. Voiced aspirated exist in many Languages of India, native English speakers cannot pronounce them without special training.

Да, пора уж подучить Роберта английским звукам, а то он нас тут в конец запутает.

Here there are many voiced aspirated sounds.